


Love is Deep as the Road is Long

by orphan_account



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Happy Ending, M/M, also george washington is a teacher and a complete dad, everyone is gay and makes bad choices, melodrama out the wazzoo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-05-02
Packaged: 2018-10-12 06:33:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10484442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: John Laurens never expected to see his fling from orientation again. That is, until he meets his new roommate. Angst, fluff, poor decisions, and copious amounts of coffee and alcohol ensue.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The title of this fic is from the Lumineers song "Nobody Knows". This is my very first fic- please leave comments! Thank you for reading!

John dropped his bags on the lower bunk. If his roommate wanted the bunk, then so be it. But for now, he wanted to sit back, put his feet up, and put some headphones in. The long drive from home had never felt this long before, and he just wanted to rest. He unzipped his bag, pulled out the sheets that he’d so carefully folded hours earlier, and began to wrap them around his bed. This proved to be a more difficult task than it seemed. Each time he put the sheet on one corner, it popped up in another. This went on for a good five minutes, until:

“Hey roomie!” An oddly familiar voice broke John’s quiet frustration. He could hear laughter trickling in from the hallway. 

“Oh, hey, I’m-” He turned around to offer a handshake, and met the eyes of someone he knew a little too intimately. “Holy shit.” 

“Hey, holy shit, I’m Alex.” 

“Oh my god, I had sex with you. And now you’re my roommate. Oh my god.” John felt like a deer in headlights. He remembered the night spent in throes of passion and heat; he also remembered those eyes. To John’s shock, Alex just laughed. 

“Yep.” 

“You know you said that out loud, right?” A tall boy with wild hair and a heavy french accent stuck his head in through the door. “It’s fine, my friend. We love love, am I right, Alex?” 

“Sure, Laf.” Alex gestured with his thumb toward the door, mouthing “ _ he’s so gay _ .” 

“So, um…” John wasn’t quite sure what to say here. Not only was he now rooming with someone he had had sex with, he’d also just announced to his roommate’s friends that they’d had sex before. 

College wasn’t looking so great anymore. 

“Do you want some help?” Another boy, with a low, dark voice, stuck his head in the doorway. John furrowed his eyebrows; they looked strange, with the taller boy crouched down and the slightly shorter, bulkier one practically climbing on top of him to look inside. He realized, after an awkward moment of silent pondering, that he was still holding the now wrinkled fitted sheet. 

“Oh. Um, sure, I guess.”  _ Smooth _ , he thought to himself. _ College tuition: 40 grand a year. Establishing a first impression with your roommate’s friends as an awkward slut: Priceless.  _

The husky boy pushed his friend aside and stepped through the doorway. 

“I’m Herc.” Herc took the wrinkled sheet from John and very gently spread it out across the bed, tucking it into each corner. John was surprised that this boy, who looked like a professional wrestler, was so calm and pleasant. He had kind eyes. 

“Thanks, Herc. I’m John, by the way.” 

“Oh, wow, is holy shit a last name, then?” Alex smirked at his own joke. Laf and Herc shared a look, and Laf rolled his eyes.

“Stop giving this boy a hard time, mon amis! Kid’s been through enough already, having to room with you.” 

“Aw, love you too, Laf.” Alex gave a smug grin in John’s direction. “Want to go to dinner with us?” 

“Sure,” John responded tentatively. He wasn’t all too enthusiastic about these boys, but he decided to bite the bullet and accept their invitation. 

“To the dining hall?” asked Laf. 

“To the dining hall!” responded Herc and Alex simultaneously. John shook his head, pulled on a hoodie, and followed them out the door. 

The hallway had gone from crowded corridors to shut bedroom doors. For the most part, everyone had either retired to their rooms or gone to the dining hall for dinner. Three girls blew down the hallway in front of them, chattering about the Welcome Ball, a dance for incoming freshman that would take place the following night. John wasn’t interested in going, but he noticed Alex staring grimly at the girl that swept down the middle of the hallway. She was short, with long black hair that swept down her back and bent the fluorescent hallway lighting into something almost ethereal. She wore a short, sky blue dress with a black belt. The two girls that flanked her at either side were just as stunning, even when John couldn’t see their faces. 

As they reached the stairwell, the girl in the blue dress leaned over to whisper something in the ear of the girl in yellow. Both girls turned around for a split second and burst out giggling. 

“Be nice!” hissed the girl in red. They disappeared into the staircase in a flourish. 

“Who are  _ they _ ?” John could help but to ask. Alex sighed a little too gently, causing Laf to roll his eyes. 

“Those girls? They’re the Schuyler sisters. I’ve never met them personally, but they mean trouble. Rich girls, you know?” 

John pondered this for a moment. He didn’t really know anything about rich girls. Or girls at all, for that matter. 

“Yeah. Rich girls.” He cringed internally at the sound of his own voice, a little too focused on what Alex thought. 

The quartet ambled over to the crowded dining hall. The hall was one enormous room with buffet style dining and hundreds of shiny, wooden tables. Each of those tables was taken.

“God damn,” murmured Herc, “we probably should have gotten here earlier.” 

“No problem, if anyone can clear a room it’s shorty over here.” Laf gestured to Alex. 

“I’m on it.” With a sly grin, Alex bounded over to a table of girls that were beginning to clear their plates. He leapt from the floor to a chair, and from the chair he jumped to the tabletop. Well he tried, anyway; Alex missed the table slightly and slammed his face into the table. 

“Good lord.” Herc shook his head. 

A valiant effort,” said Laf, covering his face with his hands as Alex climbed to the tabletop again. With a triumphant grin, he sat cross legged on the round table.

“Got it!” his laugh echoed through the dining hall, and John couldn’t help but smile. He may not have known much about Alex, but he could see that he was just as exuberant and brilliant as he’d seemed that first night. John, Herc, and Laf walked over to the table. 

“Alright, you can get down now,” said an uneasy John. They’d already drawn a bit more attention to themselves than he would have liked. 

“I like the view from up here,” complained Alex.

Laf giggled.“That’s ‘cause you’re, like, five foot two!” 

“Excuse you, I’m five foot seven!”

Herc pulled at John’s arm, gesturing toward the food line. “Believe me,” he shook his head, “those two will go back and forth for hours.” 

Several minutes later, all four boys had found themselves something to eat and were sitting at the table that Alex had so gracefully claimed. 

“So, how do you all know each other?” John asked, attempting to open conversation, because the other three were far too buried in other things. Laf was very delicately twisting his fork into a plate of spaghetti, Herc was wolfing down a vegan cheeseburger, and Alex was absentmindedly munching on french fries and reading the daily paper. 

“We all sort of wound up in the same tour group last spring. Exchanged numbers, snapchats, everything like that… we’ve all been in touch.” Laf smiled. “We got separated from the tour group, you see, walking around on campus. This one, here,” he gestured to Alex, who was too lost in an article about Wall Street to know what was going on, “wandered off, and Herc followed after him because he thought Alex was lost.” Alex looked up suddenly, having heard his name. “I came along for the ride, you see. Sometimes the best way to make friends is to get lost with them.” 

“Dude, what does that even mean?” Herc flicked Laf’s bun, “You cheeseball.” Laf just shrugged. 

“I’ve told you guys a million times, I wanted to see the gardens. I could spend hours in the garden.” Alex folded and dropped his paper on the table looking directly into John’s eyes. “Laurens, do not throw away your shot. These two wouldn’t know adventure if it bit them right in the ass, would they? But you, you like to get all,” he shook out his shoulders, “soul search-y, don’t you?”

“That’s because I prefer other things to bite me on the ass, like attractive men,” said Laf. “I am not ashamed.” 

Alex grinned. “I’m more of an all of the above kind of guy, really.” 

“Alright, alright, that’s enough.” said Herc. “I propose a toast.” The other three boys grabbed their glasses, and so John did the same. “Raise a glass…” he pondered for a moment. 

“To freedom!” interrupted Laf. Herc nodded.

“To freedom, on three. Ready?”

“One, two three,” the other boys said unison. John finally chimed in. “To freedom!” 

“Hey!” They each sipped their drinks. “Ugh, I did not realize that I had grabbed orange juice,” said Laf, with a twisted look on his face. “I hate orange juice.” 

From that moment on, the night got more and more interesting. After their meal, the four of them headed for the dorms again.   
“We live right across the hall!” shouted Laf, flourishing open the door. Herc and Laf’s room was bright and colorful, in a way that John and Alex’s wasn’t yet. Laf had lined the walls around the top bunk with photos of people; there were celebrities, models, and other people John didn’t recognize. His sheets were a deep green satin, and his bunk was made up perfectly. 

The bottom bunk had a plain blue comforter, and had been carefully (but not flawlessly) made up. His walls were bare. 

“As we say in france… who wants wine?” 

“I don’t think that’s just a french thing, but I do want wine.” Alex plopped himself down on the floor. 

“Well, that’s shame, because all I have is cheap vodka.” Laf produced a bottle of clear liquor from beneath his bed. 

“I like to think I’m a bit more cultured than that,” grumbled John, “But I know I’m not, so pass that over here.” Alex laughed out loud and smiled at John. In that moment, John couldn’t help but notice how attractive Alex was; His shiny, almost black hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail and his eyes were so fiery they could melt steel. Alex’s facial hair was stubbly, and it aged him a bit, but John thought it was cute. He understood what it was like to have a serious case of baby face. And his smile? John decided that was the best part. Alex’s upturned lips presented themselves in a way that was cocky and smug, but not malicious. It was the kind of grin that made you want to stare at it for hours, but at the same time, kiss it away. 

He took a shot. John remembered kissing that mouth, the way Alex’s stubble gently traced his own jaw, the way his eyes looked as he-  _ oh god, no.  _ John pushed the thought away.  _ Not the time, Laurens,  _ he reminded himself. 

“Tonight we drink like men!” Herc took the bottle gently from John’s hands and, admittedly less gently, took a swig from the bottle. “Ugh,” he made a face, “apparently men drink swill.” 

“Pass that swill, would you?” Alex grabbed it from Herc’s hands. He tipped back the bottle, sloppily spilling the clear alcohol all over his shirt. 

“Hey, hey! Don’t waste that stuff. Tough to get your hands on alcohol underage in this country.” Laf took the bottle from Alex and wiped the mouth down with his sleeve. 

“Well I don’t have diseases, Laf!”

“We don’t know what you have, Alexander. It’s better to be safe than sorry.” 

The evening wore on like this for the next hour or so. The liquor ran out at an unfortunate speed, so naturally the boys had to find some other way to fill their time. 

“Spin the bottle,” suggested Alex. 

“No!” Laf and Herc responded simultaneously. John was grateful for this. 

“Alright Laurens, you’re the new guy, what do you suggest?” With three sets of eyes on him, John froze. 

“Please, mon amis, pick something. If I ever have to play spin the bottle with Alex again I’ll…” Laf shrugged. “He uses tongue. For spin the bottle. Truly, horrifying.” 

“That was an accident!” 

“Ok, uh, how about truth or dare?” The idea popped into his head first, but as soon as the words escaped his mouth he regretted them. Truth or dare was all they did for fun back in high school, and it had brought John some very interesting stories.

“How did we not think of that? This is why I like this one,” said Alex. Herc grinned. 

“You first, Laurens. Truth or dare?” 

“Oh, um, truth?” 

“How was Alex?” Herc gave a devilish smile. John was really, really regretting this. 

“Seriously?” groaned Alex, throwing his head back. “We’re opening with this one? I hate you, Mulligan.” 

“That’s the fun of it.” All three sets of eyes were on John once more. 

“What do you mean, ‘how was Alex’?” He decided to stall. This was, decidedly, not a question he wanted- or knew how- to answer. His brain started to scramble with potential ways to describe the only real sexual encounter he’d ever had. Of course, Alex didn’t know that; no one did. 

“Don’t play it like this, man.” Laf warned, clutching the emptied bottle to his chest.  _ Lightweight _ , thought John,  _ I’m as sober as I’ve ever been.  _ This, decidedly, was not true. But John didn’t realize that yet- or maybe he didn’t want to. 

“He was…” John looked to Alex for help. Alex just raised an eyebrow expectantly. “He was good, I guess. I don’t know.” Herc burst out laughing. 

“How do you not know? Unless…” The idea seemed to occur to him out of the blue. “Unless there’s nothing for you to compare it to, is that it?” 

“Hey, Mulligan, back off. Save it for the next round.” Alex gave a lighthearted snort. “That wasn’t exactly a compliment, but I’ll take it. The last guy called me selfish.” 

“I’ll believe it.” The words accidentally stumbled from John’s lips; this was just one regret in a long line of many.  _ So maybe I’m not sober, after all,  _ John thought. He cringed a little inside. 

“Wow. I was trying to bail you out, Jacky, but that hurt.” Alex placed a hand over his heart in mock disappointment. 

“Only my mom calls me that,” said John, “and anyways, Alex, truth or dare? You’re next.” 

“One thing you should learn about me,” Alex’s already smug expression upturned into a full smirk, “I  _ always _ pick dare.” His deep brown eyes laughed in the artificial light that poured down from the ceiling. The look on his face said ‘scrappy’ but the one in his eyes was a little melancholy; it was like the kind of sadness that lurked, even after you found happier times. 

“That’s true,” interjected Laf. 

“Anyways, Ham,” John toyed with the nickname, “what to do with you.” 

“I feel like this kid’ll do just about anything for a dare, right Alex?” Herc elbowed Alex a little too hard. 

“Ow,” grunted Alex, rubbing his shoulder. “At least I’m not the one who woke up half naked in a stable.”

“That was  _ one time _ !” 

“ _ Anyways _ , what is it gonna be, John? Anything in the world, and he’ll do it. This kid is insane, man!” Laf snorted. “What haven’t you done?” 

“I dare you…” John made direct eye contact with Alex. This made his heart leap in his chest, only to fall and settle uneasily in the pit of his stomach.  _ I’m never drinking again, _ vowed John. “I dare you to ask that girl in the blue dress out. Tomorrow at the welcome ball. The, uh, what was it again? The Schuyler sister.” 

“Oh, uh, okay.” Alex seemed taken aback and almost… disappointed? John couldn’t decide how to read Alex’s face. “Can do, Laurens, but… that is a really lame dare, just for future reference.” 

“Note taken.” 

~o0o~

“Oh god, oh god, I think I’m dying,” John held Alex’s hair back as he threw up into the toilet down the hall. “Laurens, I swear to god, I’m dying. Tell Herc I love him.” 

“Fucking lightweight,” John said. He couldn’t help but laugh; who would have expected such a ‘tough guy’ would be so unable to handle his booze. 

“I am  _ dying _ , and this is how you treat me?” 

“You are a drama queen, that’s what you are. Are you done yet?” 

“I liked you better when you were quiet,” Alex muttered, fixing his ponytail and standing up. 

“I liked you better when you weren’t throwing up on my shoes,” responded John, mimicking Alex’s tone. “Come on, man, brush your teeth. I’m ready for bed.”

“I bet that’s what you tell all the guys.” Alex seemed to be back to his cocky and vaguely irritating self. 

“That doesn’t even make any sense,” said John matter-of-factly. He began to brush his own teeth with his left hand and ran his fingers through his hair with his right. College was okay so far; he hadn’t even been to any classes and he already had three friends. If he ignored the sight of Alex, lying on the floor in the fetal position, even the bathrooms weren’t so bad. 

John stared at his own reflection in the mirror. He couldn’t help but notice how frazzled looking he was; his hair was sticking out in every direction, he had a smudge of toothpaste on his t-shirt, and his cheeks were rosy in a way that was less ‘adorable’ and more ‘exhausted’. And then there was the Alex of it all. John finished brushing, spit out his toothpaste, and turned to the boy on the floor. 

“Let's go, Alex.” John wasn’t very big, but he knew that he was acceptably strong, so he grabbed Alex under his shoulder and hoisted him to his feet. 

“I'll just… sleep here.” Alex groaned and dropped back to the floor. John winced. That would certainly leave a mark. 

“Nope, you're going to bed. Now.” He tried to hoist Alex off the ground again, only to drop him once more. He stood back, placed his hands on his hips, and sighed. This might be more difficult than he thought.

“Come on, man.” John put his hands under the faucet to fill them with water as cold as the sink would allow. He then walked over to Alex, dropping the water on his face. 

“Agh!” Alex swung out and John jumped back. “What the fuck?” 

“It was either this or I drag you back to the room by your feet.” 

“That might have been better,” grumbled Alex. His pride (and his shoulder) may have been wounded, but John could tell Alex was grateful for not being left in the bathroom- even if he wasn't showing it. 

They walked back to their dorm, Alex hanging off of John’s shoulder. John couldn't help but notice a tiny, dreamlike smile on his roommate’s face as he covered him with a blanket. John didn't know it yet, but from that moment on, Alex started to fall for him. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of right now, I should be uploading a chapter every tuesday, but I will let you all know if that changes. Thank you so much for reading and leaving comments and kudos!

“Why are we going to this, again?” John rolled his eyes. He’d only know Laf for a little over a day, but even he knew- the guy oozed elegance and charm. So why was he interested in attending a glorified student social?  
“Because, Laf loves to dance,” said Herc.  
“And you love to dance with me…” Laf grabbed Herc’s hand and kissed it.  
“You got me there.” The two shared a sweet smile, and the whole thing was so adorable that John found himself smiling too. Alex, on the other hand, was pretty clearly having none of this.  
“I hate dressing up.” He was wearing a rumpled polo shirt and a pair of dark jeans.  
“You and I have a very different idea of dressing up,” muttered John.  
“Laurens has a point. You’re dressed like a sixth grader going to his first dance,” snorted Laf.  
“I am not changing.”  
“Suit yourself, you stubborn shit.” Herc shrugged and began to tuck in his shirt. Alex did seem to be stubborn as a mule; that morning, he’d gone to breakfast barefoot because he couldn’t find the right sneakers. It was endearing, really.  
“At least tell me you're going to iron that.” John put his hands on his hips and glared at Alex. Alex blew him a kiss and smirked.  
“Nah. We're already late.”  
“How are we late? It starts at 7.” Insufferable, thought John. How can one person be this stubborn?  
“I like to be early, you know. Scope out the competish.” Alex raised one eyebrow.  
“I hate you,” Herc grumbled. Laf nodded in assent. “Please never say that word again.”  
“Competi-” Alex was interrupted by the bulkier boy putting him in a headlock.  
“You should know by now not to annoy Herc, Alex. He could snap you like a twig.” Laf turned to John, as if he were addressing him. John wondered if he had meant it as a warning. But a warning for what? John hoped he wouldn’t have to find out. Although it seemed like he had assimilated well into their little group, he still felt like Laf and Herc were being very, very protective of Alex.  
John trailed the other three out of the room, shutting off the lights and closing the door behind him. It was still early in the night, but he felt like this night would be important; and whatever that meant, John decided that he was along for the ride. Maybe, he thought, it’s okay to let go sometimes.  
They walked out into the hallway and down the stairs. There were people milling around, either wandering toward the dance or sitting in their rooms with the door open. The carpet under his feet was wine colored and vaguely stained; the walls were a sickening sort of yellow that may have originally been intended to be comforting. (For the record- they weren’t.) Once outside, John realized how much colder New York was compared to the South Carolina septembers he had grown up with. He felt inclined to wrap his jacket tightly around himself.  
When the four boys arrived at the hall where the dance would be held, which had been decked out in cheap streamers and dollar-store party favors, John wasn’t really in the mood to dance anymore. He started to wish that he was back in his room under his brand-new comforter, or at the very least, under a cute boy. The party itself didn’t look very promising for the type of interaction John was hoping for- most attendees were either girls, or boys that seemed captivated by said girls. He had a feeling that he would be going home alone that night.  
His eyes scanned the room; he was trying to see if there were any groups that looked like they knew how to have a good time. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate the fun his new friends had showed him the night before, it was that he didn’t appreciate having his shoes vomited on. Herc, Laf, and Alex had made the previous night’s events seem like a usual occurrence. To John, that just seemed exhausting.  
They stood near the entrance, making small talk and getting a first look at who their classmates might be. A few girls came over to talk to John, but they realized fairly quickly that he was not buying what they were selling. Alex, on the other hand, put his charisma on display. Girls, boys, everyone, seemed to be interested in him. But his mind- and his eyes- were elsewhere.  
“Go ask her.” Laf shoved Alex in the direction of the pretty girl from the night before. John didn’t see the appeal; yeah, maybe boys fawned over her like crazy, and maybe she was obscenely rich, gorgeous, and sweet- but maybe John was all of those things, too. Maybe. John searched the crowd for her sisters. He wondered if they were just as captivating.  
The tallest sister stood at a table in the center of the room, surrounded by about a dozen different boys. There was something about the way she brushed off each boy that made her seem a little bit enigmatic; however, this was something John himself was familiar with. He knew that he was tolerably attractive, and girls had a tendency to flock to him because of his family’s status and wealth, but he grew up in a small town. He would have been the only gay kid in town if he’d come out. His father would have been furious, his mother disappointed. The way this showstopping girl brushed off boys just seemed too familiar to his situation to be a coincidence.  
“Laf, no. She’s so far out of my league.” Alex stared at the girl, for a moment, wearing a cocky smile that even John could tell was falsified. “But she’s also gorgeous…” He walked off in her direction without finishing his thought. John just smiled into his drink.  
As he made his way over to the corner where the girl in blue had tucked herself away, her sister intercepted Alex. John craned his neck to see as a dancing couple swayed by. He didn’t want to seem too interested, but with Alex, his curiosity got the better of him once again. That seemed to keep happening. The two talked for just a moment before she grabbed his arm and yanked him in the direction of her sister.  
“Damn,” Laf giggled, “she’s as headstrong as he is.” John nodded in agreement. This was amusing to watch, but ultimately John decided that there must have been something better going on. May as well find something else to do, thought John. This seems weird.  
John wandered off to the drinks table to get another soda. There he found the tallest sister once again, staring intently at a drink as a boy very animatedly told her a story. John decided to sidle up to her, pretending to have been pulled in by the boy’s excessive hand motions.  
“...and then I was like, ‘shut up, jerk, leave that girl alone!’. Guys like that, guys like that drive me crazy, you know. I love being able to swoop in and save a girl who’s definitely not interested.” John couldn’t help but laugh as he made eye contact with the girl. Her eyes seemed to scream “help me!”. John didn’t want to seem rude, but the girl took care of that.  
“Oh, Phillip, there you are!” She seemed to be looking at him. She bounded over and threw her arms around John’s neck. “I’m sorry, that guy was so creepy,” she whispered in his ear. “You seem… quiet. Sorry,” she pulled away. “God, Phil, I haven’t seen you since Boston! Let’s catch up.” She put her arm in his and led him to the dance floor. John knew how to dance; but this didn’t seem like the kind of place to show off the ballroom dancing skills his mother had forced him to learn. The mysterious girl had put her arms around his neck, so he placed his hands on her waist.  
“Phillip?” he asked, once they were out of earshot.  
“My father’s name,” she shrugged. “That guy was… persistent, huh?” She smiled at him. “My name is Angelica Schuyler.”  
“So I’ve heard.” John and Angelica swayed softly to the gentle rhythm of the music, but there was nothing romantic about it. To John, it felt just like dancing with a sister or an aunt. Comfortable, but the furthest thing from romantic.  
“Oh?” She furrowed her eyebrows. “Where have you heard?”  
“Well, I didn’t know about the… that your name was Angelica. I knew you were a Schuyler, though.”  
“Yes, the name follows me everywhere.” She paused for a moment. “That’s not always a good thing.”  
“Trust me, I understand.” He nodded awkwardly. “Who’s Phillip, anyways?”  
She waved this off. “My father’s name. Always good to have a backup plan, you know?”  
“Smart.” John avoided eye contact with Angelica, even though she seemed to be intent on it. Eye contact alway seemed to precede serious situations.  
“I remembered you, that’s why I picked you,” she said, in a gentle tone. John racked his brain for any memory of her. “Back at orientation, you asked about resources for gay students.”  
“Yeah, but-”  
“I figured you’d probably be okay with me pulling you away like that. People like us, we’ve gotta stick together, you know.”  
“Yeah, no, no that’s fine. You seemed a little uncomfortable, anyways.” John looked away. He saw Laf and Herc a few pairs over, graciously showing off their dance skills together. As always, Laf was graceful and elegant, while Herc clumsily followed along; but John also noticed that the way they looked into each other’s eyes was more brilliant and romantic than anything he’d ever seen before. At least someone was having fun.  
“So tell me about your friend. The short one.” Angelica gestured with her head in the direction of Alex and her sister.  
“Okay, yeah. He’s, um,” John racked his brain to find the right words. Gorgeous? Amazing in bed? Hot-tempered? A pain in the ass? “A good guy. Yeah, he’s a good guy.”  
“There’s something you aren’t telling me,” she leaned in slightly, widening her huge brown eyes.  
“That makes two of us,” whispered John. It was pretty clear that she had omitted to tell him something, in the same way that he had. Angelica smiled.  
“I like you,” she leaned back. “It’s too bad, you know. I liked your friend, too, but he was spoken for. My sister picked him out.”  
“Picked him out for what?” John asked. Angelica paused for a moment before she spoke, as if her mind was moving faster than her thoughts could be gathered.  
“My father is a bit of a… traditionalist. My sisters and I- I’m not really interested in dating boys, but dear old dad doesn’t know that.” She paused, staring him right in the face. “I’m in the market for a beard. You know, just to meet my father, appear in photos, go to family events.”  
“Hang on, is your sister-”  
“She’s in charge of her own life, and I’m not in the business of sharing secrets,” Angelica said in a gently warning tone. “All I’m offering is for you to go to some family events with me. My father is delightful, I promise.”  
“I don’t know, are you sure that’s such a good idea?” said John, considering the proposition. On the one hand, it would satisfy his parents too, but on the other… there was a lot at risk here. He was a stranger to the world of paparazzi and politics.  
“I think so. You’re cute, you seem smart enough, and you’re a Laurens, right? A well bred southern boy? My father would be all over you.” She bit her lip. “Of course, I’d be willing to owe you a favor, in exchange.”  
“Okay.” said John. “You’ll have to meet my family, too. My parents aren’t exactly…” he searched for the right word, “accepting, you know?”  
“It’s a deal.” Angelica pulled away. She held out a hand, and they shook on it.  
“So your sister-”  
“I know my sister like I know my own mind, but there are some things that I don’t know. Some things even I’m left to speculate. You’d be smart not to jump to conclusions.” She took his arm. “Now, let’s cause talk. Want to leave together?”  
“Hang on, my friends know I’m gay. They’ll know something about…” he gestured wildly, “this… is weird.”  
“You can tell them if you like,” she shrugged. “As long as it doesn’t get too far. A lot of these boys think that just because my family has money they can get in on it. If they think I’m involved with you, they should leave me alone.”  
“Okay,” he smiled, and Angelica smiled back. The softness in her face told John that she was someone he would grow to like. He had a tendency to like people that came on a bit strong.  
“Ready?” Angelica offered him her arm.  
“Okay.” He took it. John couldn’t help but to scan the room for Alex and Eliza eventually finding them tucked away in some corner. They were both in hysterics, laughing about something Alex had said. The evening showed no intentions of winding down.  
~o0o~  
“John, what do straight people wear on dates?” Alex stood in front of the mirror in a pair of khakis and a white button down shirt. He was comparing two ties, one that bore the constitution and another that had some sort of grease stain on it.  
“Why would I know that?” John looked up from his computer and shook his head. “I may not know much, but I do know that no one should ever wear either of those ties anywhere.”  
“Well, I don’t know. They’re all I had.” Alex faltered, and John could see how nervous he was. He smiled.  
“Here,” he reached into his drawer and pulled out a tie. Alex seemed to relax for a moment and held the tie up next to his shirt.  
“You have good taste, Laurens.” The tie was a checkered navy blue, that complemented Alex’s skin tone in the most deliciously sharp way. “How do I tie it?”  
“Are you kidding me?” John stood up and chuckled. “Alex, how have you survived without me this long?”  
“God knows.” Alex shrugged and gave John a smile that was a little less cocky and a little more… sweet? No, that wasn’t the right word. It was almost romantic, the way his face lit up and his hands fumbled with first date jitters. Not for you, John reminded himself. He’s nervous for Eliza, not you. You’re just his friend.  
“Do you want me to tie it for you, or were you just going to figure that out on your own?” John smiled and ran his fingers through his hair. Alex bit his lip, and he had to admit- that was downright sexy.  
“Can you tie it for me?”  
“I thought you’d never ask.” John walked closer, and found himself utterly wrapped in the lovely scent of cologne that drifted from Alex. His hands brushed against the slight stubbly beard on Alex’s chin, and he couldn’t help but to grin as he pulled away and looked at the whole ensemble.  
“What?” Alex looked genuinely curious, like he wanted to hear what John thought. On the other hand, John wasn’t sure that Alex would appreciate what he was thinking about.  
“Nothing.”  
“God help me Laurens, what is it? You’re smiling like an idiot, it’s making me nervous.”  
“It’s just, you clean up good, that’s all. You look nice. I’m sure Eliza will love it, too,” said John. Alex nodded and grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair.  
“I hope you plan on ironing that,” yelled John, as Alex disappeared out the door.  
“Wouldn’t be me if I did!”  
John figured he had a point.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so, so much for the comments and kudos! I have so much fun writing this fic and I am so glad to see you all enjoying it. Here's chapter three :)

John looked up from his homework again only when his phone vibrated. He saw a text message from Angelica.   
Angelica: Are you busy?  
Angelica: I’m bored.   
Angelica: We should probably get to know each other better.  
John held his phone, staring at the messages. On the one hand, he still had a load of US History 101 homework to finish. His phone buzzed as another message appeared on the screen. On the other...  
Angelica: You have your read receipts on.  
That sealed it. John shut his laptop, sighed and typed out a message. Roots of American government and politics could wait.   
John: sure  
He figured he would let her figure out the details on her own.   
Angelica: I’m coming over.  
That was that, then. John looked around the room. Sure, his things were fairly organized, but Alex’s possessions were a mess. His desk was covered in papers, pages of scribbled writing in shorthand that pretty much no one could keep track of; his bed was a tangled mess of, yes, more papers, along with clothing and a few pairs of shoes.   
“Not my problem,” he grumbled to himself. He straightened out his own bed to the best of his abilities and put his papers in order. Soon enough, the knock came at the door.   
“Hello!” sang Angelica, not bothering to knock twice as she swung into the room. This time she wore glasses, had her hair in a high ponytail, and wore sweats. Angelica seemed far less intimidating when she wasn’t in a hoop skirt; John still felt like he shouldn’t get on her bad side.   
“Hey.” John gestured awkwardly to his desk chair in hopes of offering her a seat, but Angelica instead plopped herself down next to him on the cleared off part of the bed.   
“I figured we may as well get to know each other a bit before the workload really picks up.” Angelica pushed her glasses up her nose. “I finished the US History homework in less than an hour.”   
“Lucky you,” snorted John playfully, “I’m still not done. I took a civics class in high school, but there’s just so much I never knew about the founding fathers.”   
“You’re telling me. It was so interesting, I spent all afternoon reading up on it. Doesn’t hurt to have professor Washington, either, does it? He’s so interesting.”   
Interesting was not the first word that popped into John’s head. Hard-ass, perhaps, or intense, but not interesting. Professor Washington was a tall man with a questionable past- rumours were already circulating about his involvement with the US military. The man commanded respect like a general, that was for certain; he was the kind of man you stood for whenever he entered a room. It was still early in the semester, but it was easy to see that Professor Washington would have his favorites and his least favorites. John hoped that if he did his homework well enough, he could be one of Washington’s favorites.   
“Yeah, I guess. He seems-”   
“He seems incredible, I know. God, I could listen to that man go on about the revolution for days. We’re only three classes in and he’s already my favorite professor.”   
“Um, yeah.” John wasn’t sure he had a response to that. Angelica seemed to be one of those people whose mind was constantly flying at a million miles an hour. She was polite, but she also was definitely not afraid to interrupt. Her facade of elegance and poise gave way to much, much more; there was hauntingly beautiful chaos that lurked just below the surface. She was fascinating.   
“So. Tell me about John Laurens. Where are you from? Who are your parents? Got any siblings?” Angelica smiled playfully, but the look in her eyes was almost clinical; it was as if she was a nurse asking a patient for symptoms.   
“I’m from South Carolina. Charleston. My parents got wealthy off of agriculture. Well, they didn’t really get wealthy, just inherited old money. The business passed itself down from my grandfather to my dad when he died. I don’t really get along with my parents, my dad, especially.” He paused for a moment, then sighed. “They’re very… conservative, you know? Racist, homophobic, rich parents. That’s why I left.” Angelica stared at him with that same intense look. John began to feel like he was under a microscope. He half expected Angelica to start taking notes.   
“Siblings?” she asked again. In her voice was mostly curiosity, but beyond that there was a note of genuine caring. That was what made John feel comfortable as he continued speaking.   
“A few. Four, actually. Martha, Henry, James, and Mary Eleanor. They’re all younger than I am.” He smiled, thinking of his siblings. “Martha is thirteen. She is brilliant. I think you’d like her. Henry, he’s nine. He’s a good kid. Then there’s James, he’s seven. Mary Eleanor is still really little. She just turned two.”   
“You like them, then?” Angelica asked, this time more gently and with a greater regard for his feelings.   
“Yeah. They’re not like my parents. So far, anyways. Martha once found my…” he searched for the right word, “...journal, and she came to me the next day. She asked me what gay meant, because I had written about it. Nobody had ever really told her. She was ten, at the time. We didn’t really talk about those things in my house, or at school. When I explained what it meant, she just smiled and said she’d keep my secret.” John let out a small laugh. “She’d always kick me under the table when our dad started ranting and raving about politics at dinner so we could change the subject.”   
“She seems like a good kid.” Angelica smiled back. “So, what do you want to know about me?”   
“Same stuff, I guess. Family, where you come from, all that,” he shrugged.   
“Okay. Well, let’s start with my parents. You know my dad, the senator- he’s always busy shaking hands and kissing babies. He’s not always around. My parents are separated- and by that, I mean dad does what- and who- ever he wants and mom drops by for christmas. My sisters and I- we’re pretty independent. We’ve got a little brother, too- his name’s Phillip. He’s with the nanny most of the time.” Angelica paused for a moment to think. “We’re one of those families that looks nice when we have to and the rest of the time, we don’t really talk. My sisters and I take care of each other, though. We’re triplets.” She smiled. “You’ve seen Eliza, of course. You will never find anyone as trusting or as kind. That isn’t to say you should go ahead and get yourself on her bad side. She’s still fierce as hell when she needs to be. And then there’s Peggy. She’s obedient, and quiet, but she’s a lot smarter than people think.”   
“And where are you from, again?” asked John. He was starting to like Angelica. Maybe she came on strong and stayed that way, but he could see that she was a good sister and friend. John couldn’t wait to get to know her better.   
“We were born in Albany. The whole family moved into the city last election cycle, though, because dad wanted us to seem like we spent some time together. The constituents love good old fashioned family time,” she snorted, “even if we don’t.”   
“Makes sense,” John nodded. Angelica stretched and laid herself down across his bed.  
“So, Laurens, what do you do for fun?”   
“Oh, um…” John trailed off. He couldn’t seem to find a delicate way to say I like to have sex with cute boys or all there was to do in my old town was drink. “Nothing exciting.”   
“Come on, there’s gotta be something a nice guy like you does in his free time. Otherwise, what did I pick you for?” She smiled, but she soon noticed that he was a little put off by this. Angelica placed her hand on his arm. “Hey, I’m joking. You’re my beard now. For better or for worse.”  
John laughed. “In fake straightness and in hell. ‘Til parents do us part.”   
“I like that.” Angelica laughed. John watched her whole face light up with a smile, and he decided to be honest. She didn’t really seem like the judgemental type.   
“There wasn’t really much to do at home,” he said. “I dunno, my friends and I just sort of rode around town, went to the movies, drank, went to shitty parties, drank some more. I had a… girlfriend once, but that didn’t really pan out. For,” he raised his eyebrows and grinned, “obvious reasons.”   
They chatted for over an hour, touching upon trivia like their favorite food and hogwarts house, as well as first kisses and shitty parents. They were quite different, but John couldn’t think of anyone better to spend his evening with. She was brilliant, eccentric, and elegant, but she still managed to be silly and playful. Angelica was the kind of friend that John was really excited to have.   
“You seem more interesting than you’re letting on, John Laurens.” She was now supporting herself on one arm, with the arm of her glasses resting just inside her mouth. Angelica was captivated. By me? He wondered.   
“I don’t know, is there anything else you want to know about?”   
“Tell me something your parents don’t know,” said Angelica, the sly grin playing on her lips once again.   
“Okay, well, they don’t know about the drinking thing, obviously, but I assume you mean something other than that.”  
“I do.”   
“Okay. Well, for starters,” his heart leapt in his chest as the words left him, “I had… sex… with Alex- as in, my roommate, currently on a date with your sister- the night of orientation.” The words fell into a hushed whisper toward the end. Angelica raised an eyebrow. “But you can’t tell anyone.”  
She held up a pinky finger. “Scout’s honor.” He twisted it with his own. “So, did you decide to be roommates before or after the sex?”   
“We never decided. We just… got stuck together.” For the first time, John started to wonder what bizarre twist of fate had placed him in a room with Alex.   
“Ah.” Angelica seemed to ponder for a moment. “I was at orientation. Well, obviously- I’ve mentioned that before. How did you possibly…”   
John shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable. “I mean, orientation was a weekend event. Do you want the full story?”  
“None of the really dirty details, but now you’ve got me hooked. Give me the PG-13 story.” Angelica laid down completely this time, as if she were preparing herself to hear the love story of the ages. She had no idea.  
“Okay, so remember that random group assignment they gave us? Well, he wasn’t in my group, but he wandered away from his own and wound up with mine. Alex likes to play by his own rules.”  
“Obviously.”  
“Anyway, he was my partner for two truths and a lie. I still think that’s a weird orientation game, but… that’s sort of beside the point. He had missed the part where we all shared names, so I never even learned his name that night. After two truths and a lie, he sort of stuck with me. We had fun- not as much fun as we would later, trust me- but we had a good time in our group.  
“Later on, when they gave us the night to go to dinner or wander around campus, I ran into him again. He said that his friends had picked a different orientation date, so I was the closest thing he had to a friend.” John grinned when he thought back to that moment. Bewildered, brash, and beautiful, Alex had claimed him. “So we had dinner together. And I really liked him. Like, a lot. And I guess, he liked me, too. After dinner we…”   
John thought back to their walk back to the dorms where they had been put up. He thought of the bench where they sat down and talked about nothing and everything. The sunset they watched. The way Alex’s face was flushed and warm as he made the first move. The way John was caught off guard in the most magnificent, unlikely way. But Angelica probably didn’t want to hear about those things.   
“After dinner, we started to walk back to the dorms. Alex had to tie his shoe, so we sat on a bench for a little while. We made small talk. The bench happened to be at the exact perfect angle to watch the sunset over the lake, so we did that. Then we watched the stars come out for a bit. After that… well, I don’t remember the exact chain of events, but at some point, Alex kissed me; I kissed him back.”   
John gathered his thoughts for a moment while Angelica quietly ruminated on his story. They sat for those few moments in comfortable silence. But John wasn’t done yet.   
“Eventually, we decided that things were going to get a bit… intense for the public bench.”  
“Oh, thank god. I really thought you were going to tell me that you guys had sex on the bench. I’m not judging, but- really, gross.” Angelica smirked. John couldn’t help but to smile back.  
“No, we didn’t have sex on the bench. We walked- god, ran, really, back to the dorms. His orientation roommate was still out and about somewhere, so we…” John gestured awkwardly, “did it on his bed. Alex’s, not the roommate’s. That would be weird.”   
He thought about the things that he wasn’t telling Angelica. He wasn’t telling her what it felt like to have sex with another man for the first time with someone that you’ve never met before. He didn’t tell her how, for the first time since he had been sexually active, it felt right. He didn’t tell her the way Alex felt under his hands, under his body, in the starlight that broke through the drapes. He didn’t tell Angelica how the hickeys Alex left wouldn’t go away for days. These were things that nobody needed to know; they were John’s and John’s alone, to be locked up inside his mind and thought about when they had no need to be.   
“What happened when the roommate came back?” asked Angelica.  
“I don’t know. I left right after Alex fell asleep.” John considered this with guilt. If he had stayed the night, maybe he and Alex could have stayed in touch. They might have been friends for those few months, or even something more. He wished that he had stayed.   
“Oof. Even I know that’s not proper etiquette.” Angelica cringed a little, but he could see that it was meant playfully.   
“Listen, it was my first time. With a boy, that is. I was scared.” John sighed. “Yeah. I was kinda scared.”  
“Makes sense.” Angelica nodded. “I get that. The first time I…” she waved away the rest of the sentence, “man, it was scary.” She stared up at him with those eyes so dark brown they were practically black; the enigmatic look he’d seen when he first glanced into them had been replaced with the knowledge of her experiences. John was certain of very few things in his life, but he knew then, that Angelica was his friend.   
“So, wanna order some pizza?” he asked, widening his face into a grin. Angelica sat up.   
“Only if we can have pineapple on it,” said Angelica.   
“I knew there had to be something I wouldn’t like about you.” He shook his head in mock disappointment.   
Sure enough, they ordered a pineapple pizza. Angelica was never the type to take no for an answer.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't uploaded in a couple of weeks. I had a craaaazy busy April vacation then I had tech week for my school musical. Chapter uploads should be weekly from now on, I swear.   
> Thank you to anyone who has left kudos or comments, it is so exciting to see people interacting with my first work!

Over the next few weeks, John settled in nicely to the college life. He attended class, hung out with his friends, and met up with Angelica to hang out at least once a week; he even joined a choir. He was so busy that life seemed to structure itself. He liked that, the repetitive but not monotonous way that his classes and activities worked out.   
Alex had been strangely avoiding all three of the Schuyler sisters, despite the fact that all of them, even Eliza, seemed fascinated with him. He refused to say what had happened, but after his date with Eliza, there was not another one. Even Angelica didn’t know what had happened; either that, or she was keeping her sister’s secrets again. John knew that Angelica’s sisters came first.   
Then came the start of October.   
“It’s a little cold for me,” John mumbled, practically shaking from the frigid air. The other boys didn’t seem as bothered, but of course- they were all used to a cold autumn. John was not.  
“Suck it up, Laurens. We’re going to this party.” Alex’s eyes flashed warmly in the quickly fading sunlight. Lately, John had noticed changes in the way he interacted with Alex. If he didn’t know any better, he might mistake it for flirtatiousness. Flirting with your roommate? Reckless, even for Alex. It didn’t matter that they’d already hooked up; Alex treated this like a bygone. It sure didn’t feel that way to John.   
“Yes, let’s go, lover boy. We’re meeting your fake girlfriend and her sisters.” Laf and Herc walked just ahead of them, hand in hand. They made a good couple.   
“She’s not my fake girlfriend, she’s just my friend.” He paused for a moment and then admitted, “...who my parents happen to think I’m dating. And her parents think we’re dating. Also, pretty much everyone on campus. Shut up, Laf.”   
“We both know I don’t do that.”   
“Oh, honey, we all know.” Herc looked up at his boyfriend and smiled. As their eyes met, it looked to John like they were each staring at the most beautiful thing in the world. They shared a kiss.   
“Ugh. It’s like watching your parents kiss,” Alex made a face of disgust and turned away to look at John.   
“At least I’ve got somebody to kiss,” said Herc.   
“Wow. That was harsh.” John placed his hand over his heart in mock betrayal. Herc just laughed. “Well, if this party goes right, maybe you’ll find somebody you can kiss, too.”  
“I am not interested in kissing, am I right John?” Alex raised his eyebrows twice and proceeded to wink.   
“Please don’t drag me into whatever depraved scheme you’ve got going on. Not tonight, Alex, I’m cold.” John stuck out his lower lip. Alex was a sucker for a good pouty face.   
“Well, fancy seeing you here.” A warm hand reached out to touch Alex’s shoulder, turning him to face whoever was behind him. Angelica appeared, grinning, with her sisters on either side.   
“Wow, it’s almost like we were going to meet you here,” Alex rolled his eyes and slunk away. John still couldn’t figure out what his problem was.   
“Is he in a bad mood? Already?” Peggy sighed audibly and cocked her head. She was just as beautiful as either of her sisters, with a sweet, round face and an inarguably perfect body.   
“He’s always in a bad mood, you just don’t know him well enough to know that yet,” replied John.  
“I heard that!” Alex shot back.   
“You were meant to. Grow up.” John put on a smile and placed his hand around Angelica’s waist. Angelica had told him that people were always watching for her to slip up; any time they were seen together, they were supposed to do normal, if shy, couple things. He wouldn’t have to kiss her or anything, she’d told him, but it was probably best if they stuck together in public, at least during this election cycle. Her father had told her to find a nice boy to appear with. Their family had always generated a bit of talk, and now that the girls were in college, that hadn’t changed. The Schuylers didn’t exactly have paparazzi following them around, but people love to gossip about the families of politicians. So, John agreed to shut up, sit down, and look cute with Angelica. He was more than arm candy, though; he truly did enjoy spending time with her.  
The group of six had reached the dorm where the party was taking place, and it already seemed like half of the campus was there. Students milled around, laughing, talking, drinking and doing pretty much everything you might associate with a college party.   
Angelica turned her head and whispered in John’s ear. “We’re not drinking tonight.”   
“Speak for yourself.” Laf snorted, having overheard Angelica, and walked with Herc into the frat house’s kitchen.   
“Yes, dear,” John gave her a half smirk. She playfully shoved him.  
Peggy had wandered off somewhere with a boy, and Eliza walked off very carefully with a very beautiful girl, looking over her shoulder all the while. That left Angelica, John, and Alex.   
“So.” Alex, upon finding himself the third wheel, searched desperately for an out. “I’m going to…” he trailed off into incoherent mumbling and walked toward the kitchen, probably in pursuit of Laf and Herc.   
“Do you still like him?” Angelica’s voice appeared in John’s ear, her breath tickling the hair on his neck.   
“Shut up,” he whispered back.   
“Well,” she said at full volume, “that’s not really an answer, is it?” Angelica grabbed his arm. “Let’s go find something to do.”   
“Yes ma’am.” John liked playing the part of the snarky boyfriend. It felt natural up against Angelica’s inherently assertive nature.   
“Did you just ma’am me?”   
“No ma’am.”   
~o0o~  
Angelica opted to go back to the dorms within an hour; she headed back with Laf and Herc so she wouldn’t have to go alone. By eleven o’clock, John found himself all alone in the crowd of people. He also happened to be one of a sober few. He chatted with a (very loud) group of girls from his anthropology class for a few minutes, before a familiar hand clapped his shoulder.   
“Look at you, making friends.” John turned around to see Alex. He held a red solo cup full of-  
“Cheese puffs?” John snorted. “Life of the party, huh?”   
“For your information, I was helping a very drunk Peggy- like, seriously, if you think I’m a lightweight, go talk to her right now- I was helping her get back to her friends. Some nasty frat bro…” Alex shrugged. “Peggy’s fine, now. One of her friends walked her home.”  
“Angelica is going to kill her,” mumbled John.   
“Well… yeah, that’s probably true. Oh, well.” Alex climbed over the top of the couch and bounced into a cushion. He pushed himself up to the edge of it and patted the space next to him. “Come, sit. I’m stone cold sober, I swear.”  
“I believe you.” John sat himself down in the small space next to Alex. He noticed- too late- that the space was much too small for him. He was practically in Alex’s lap.   
“Sorry,” he mumbled, feeling his cheeks go crimson. Alex just smiled and waved it off.   
“No big deal.” They sat in silence for a few minutes; their couch cushion was in massive contrast to the rest of the room. It was a calm swatch of quiet among the drunken chaos of the frat party.   
They made small talk about class and their professors. John allowed himself very slowly to relax into the conversation; at the same time, he felt himself physically relaxing in the very small shared space on the loveseat. At some point, the proximity didn’t matter anymore. Alex’s eyes and smile made him feel so comfortable. As the night wore on, John found himself remembering exactly what had attracted him to Alex in the first place. The adventurous way he ran a conversation, like he knew exactly what would be said before it had begun to leave John’s lips; the way his whole body shook when he laughed; the way his short but stocky frame felt like it would mesh perfectly with his own scrawny one.   
After a half hour or so of this kind of conversation, Alex glanced at John with an uncharacteristically sweet smile; John suddenly became very aware of his left leg, which was draped across Alex’s lap. He reached for his knee in an attempt to take up less of the small space, while Alex also reached. Their hands met, and John let his drop. Alex gripped John’s knee, absentmindedly rubbing it with him palm and his thumb. He began to move his hand almost imperceptibly up John’s leg; this caused warm shivers to race down John’s spine.   
John gulped. “We should probably...” His whole body felt electric with every touch. At this point, he didn’t care if someone saw. All he wanted, then, was Alex. His mind shifted back to that night, which didn’t feel so far off anymore.   
“Yeah, let’s go get some air.” Alex spoke much too fast; he shifted himself out from underneath John’s leg. They stood together, very stiffly, and started for the door. John felt an exhilarating thrill rise in his chest as they bumped through the crowd. It was strange; he had all of these thoughts and feelings that were shifting around in his head and his heart (And elsewhere, but John decided to ignore those for the time being.) but everyone else was none the wiser. They moved on with their night as John moved toward something so deliciously familiar and alien at the same time.   
As they stepped out into the moonlight, both boys breathed a sigh of relief. John let himself relax against the building just for a moment. Alex did the same.   
“We should probably head home.” John forced out. The look on Alex’s face was unreadable, but certainly positive.   
“We should definitely head home, Laurens. Good idea.” He exhaled into the silence of the moonlight. “Good idea.”  
“I want to kiss you!” John blurted out. Alex seemed taken aback for a moment, appearing to ponder the gravity of the situation. At that moment, he couldn’t be sure if Alex valued the same kind of romantic foreplay that John did.  
“Ask and you shall receive.” Alex smiled and grabbed John by both shoulders, kissing him against the wall of the frat house. For a split second, John could have sworn he felt Alex smile against his waiting lips. It was a soft gesture in a rough kiss.   
“So, should we head home?” John pulled himself away from Alex, avoiding eye contact by staring at his nose.   
“God, yes. Please,” said Alex, his voice light with desperation. They both began to walk briskly as the warm sensation rose inside of John again. He knew that whatever was about to happen was probably a mistake- but he didn’t care. The temperature had dropped just low enough that he could watch the air leave Alex’s mouth in clouds of silver vapour, and John couldn’t help but think about how that air was soon to be in his own lungs. Whatever they had been feeling since they met the second time had burst from both of them, ready to be new.   
Alex pressed his key card to the sensor on the door, not hesitating a moment before he threw the door open. It had become fairly clear to John that Alex was ready for everything. They climbed the stairs and went to their room.   
Laf and Herc’s door was wide open; John thought he saw them share a high five as he began to kiss Alex. He didn’t care, really- his jacket was already off before they were even in the room.   
“You ready? ” Alex breathed against John’s lips. He hadn’t noticed the first time around, but Alex did use a lot of tongue. On the other hand, this didn’t really matter anymore.   
“So, what do you want to-” John let out an earthshaking sigh as Alex started to kiss his neck. “Oh god, please don’t stop, don’t-”   
Alex cut the flow off words off as he returned once again to John’s mouth.


End file.
